FCC to begin white space wireless broadband field tests

Over the next four weeks, the Federal Communications Commission will conduct twelve field tests of TV white space devices—hardware that can transmit and receive broadband over unused TV channel frequencies. And it looks like the FCC may have taken up the offer from ESPN and the National Football League to let the Commission test these apps in a sports stadium. The agency's schedule says that the last two demos involve "wireless microphone testing" and will be conducted in a "sports venue" and an "entertainment venue."

As Ars reported last month, ESPN/NFL are among the many groups raising a fuss over the threat that they say unlicensed broadband devices could pose to wireless mic use. On June 26th they filed comments with the FCC offering to let the agency's Office of Engineering Technology (OET) run tests on the prototype gadgets in nearby sports stadiums.

"Wireless microphones are vital to operations at NFL games," the ESPN/NFL wrote. "We believe it is essential that field-testing studies reflect actual, true-to-life conditions, including testing of wireless microphones and other wireless audio equipment used at these games."

The ESPN/NFL filing offered two Maryland locales near the FCC's DC headquarters for the wireless mic challenge: Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium and the Federal Express Field in Landover. But the FCC has not disclosed whether it will go with these venues for the tests.

The rest of the field observations will take place in Maryland, with the exception of one at the FCC's DC headquarters. They'll commence next week in Patapsco Valley State Park and the Thomas A. Dixon, Jr. Aircraft Observation Area of the Baltimore/Washington International airport. Next will come demos at residences in Ellicot City and College Park. After the FCC HQ test, there will be five more tryouts in rural and semi-rural areas (two parking lots and a creek near Harp Hill Road). Last but not least will come the wireless mic ordeals. The Commission says it wants all these experiments completed over the course of four weeks.

At least two of these locations appear to have come from recommendations made by the Association for Maximum Service Television (MSTV): the Harp Hill Road locale and another along Route 17. As the TV industry's lobbyist on tech issues, the MSTV has been a fierce opponent of unlicensed broadband devices. But some of its recent filings suggest that the group has moved past outright opposition and is now in favor of requesting conditions that will restrict and weaken the hardware's reach.

On July 3, three MSTV execs, one National Association of Broadcasters lawyer, and a CBS veep piled into the office of FCC Commissioner Michael Copps to talk to him and two of his legal advisers about the white space docket. They conceded that geolocator devices could potentially protect TV stations from white space app interference. But, "the FCC must also focus on protections against adjacent channel interference, requirements to assure an adequate database to support geolocation methodologies, robust certification procedures, and powerful and effective policing mechanisms," they warned.

These TV white space device field tests will be open to the public, the FCC says, and the Commission will offer updates on any changes in the schedule.

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Matthew Lasar / Matt writes for Ars Technica about media/technology history, intellectual property, the FCC, or the Internet in general. He teaches United States history and politics at the University of California at Santa Cruz.